STEP ONE

Not sure where to start? We offer a complimentary FREE Webinar – Preparing for the CDE Exam. Join us live or listen to our On Demand version by registering today! Learn how to focus your time and prepare to take the CDE® Exam. We provide plenty of sample test questions and test taking tips!

To apply for the CDE® Exam, you must meet requirements set by the NCBDE or National Certification Board for Diabetes Education. You need to have your professional license for at least 2 years as an RN, RD, PT, PharmD, PA, MD (and others) plus accumulate 1000 hours of diabetes self-management teaching experience. There is also a unique qualifications pathway for other professions.

Are you eligible?

FREE Webinar – Preparing for the CDE® Exam

Are you wondering where to start? Join our FREE live “Preparing for CDE® Exam” webinar or view it On Demand now.

What is included?

70-minute video presentation to help you learn how to focus your time and prepare to take the CDE® Exam

STEP TWO

To determine how to best spend your study time, we encourage you to first assess your Diabetes Knowledge. By using the tools below, you can determine what your best course of action is for CDE® success. We are here to help you create the perfect study plan!

Test Taking Toolkit – Online Courses to test your knowledge!

Whether you are preparing for the CDE® or BC-ADM exam, this test taking toolkit is designed to prepare you for success. This toolkit includes two courses with over 200 practice questions to help you prepare and simulate the exam. Plus, we have added a FREE bonus course, Language and Diabetes – What we say matters. Coach Beverly added this course because she believes it contains critical content for the exam and for our clinical practice!

Diabetes Education Services Online University Courses are an excellent way to study for your exam anytime and anywhere that is convenient for you. You will have immediate access to your courses for 1 year after your purchase date.

60 minutes on demand course, where Coach Beverly details the content of the exam and test taking tips. Plus, Coach Beverly reviews a sampling of the questions and explains how to dissect the question, eliminate the wrong answers and avoid getting lured in by juicy answers.

100 question computerized general practice exam that provides vignette-based questions and other critical content that will prepare you for the actual exam.

60 minute on demand course, where Coach Beverly explains to dissect the question, eliminate the wrong answers and avoid getting lured in by juicy answers.

108 test questions based on the most recent ADA Standards of Care. During the webinar, Beverly reviews as many practice questions as possible within the hour time frame. Get ready for success!

Language and Diabetes – What we say matters Course 0.5 CEsLanguage and Diabetes – What We Say Matters 0.5 CEs – As educators, advocates, spouses, friends, and providers, our use of language can deeply affect the self-view of people living with diabetes everyday. Thoughtful communication provides a sense of support and empathy and moves both the provider and person living with diabetes toward greater satisfaction and success. The content provide in this course will beneficial for your clinical practice, plus improve exam success.

Coach Beverly Study Tip: A student said that one of the things that helped her most with the exam, was reading through the Case Studies in the Art and Science Book. These case studies are easily identifiable in colored boxes in each of the chapters.

Published by AADE, the Art & Science Desk Reference 4th Edition is the must-have resource for all diabetes educators.

This Desk Reference (2017) is written by practicing Diabetes Educators for Diabetes Educators and provides the core knowledge and essential strategies and skills all educators need to facilitate behavior change in persons with diabetes. Boost your knowledge and keep current with all of the critical changes in the healthcare landscape.

STEP THREE

Diabetes Educators need to be familiar with the National Goals of Care and Position Statements as published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) and the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE).

These Standards and National Guidelines are important not only for the exam, but for your own clinical practice. As diabetes specialists, providing evidence based care that is up-to-date and accurate translates into best care.

Review Guidelines

Coach Beverly Study Tip: Know the National Goals for the exam. Keep in mind that your particular clinic goals may not match the national goals. So, leave your clinic goals behind when you are taking the exam.

Top 7 Articles to Review

Based on student feedback and the exam outline, here are the top seven articles to start reviewing:

ADA Standards of Care – This yearly publication by the American Diabetes Association outlines the national goals of care based on the latest research for diabetes management. This is one of the most important guidelines to read as a Certified Diabetes Educator

Use of Language in Diabetes Care and Education – ADA & AADE Language is powerful and can have a strong impact on perceptions as well as behavior. This article provides recommendations for language used by health care professionals and others when discussing diabetes through spoken or written words whether directed to people with diabetes, colleagues, or the generalpublic, as well as research questions related to language and diabetes.

AACE Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm 2019. This link provides the complete executive and slide set summary by an American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists/American College of Endocrinology Consensus Panel on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. If you are taking the CDE® or BC-ADM exam, we encourage students to be familiar with the slide content that reviews diabetes management.

STEP FOUR

Once you have identified areas where you want to focus your study time, it’s time to determine how to best fill in the knowledge gaps you identified when you did your self-assessment using the CDE Exam Content Outline. Depending on your learning style there are three different options to fill in identified knowledge gaps and increase your depth of diabetes knowledge.

The CDE® Exam includes content on providing education and self-management training to people with diabetes across their lifetime; this includes kids, women, pregnancy and older adults. It also includes questions on acute illness, hospitalization and insulin pump therapy. The largest test section includes intervention questions. This area focuses on medications, insulin and pattern management, nutrition therapy and exercise.

Build Your Study Plan

Join a Live Seminar

Want a live summary of the key content in a beautiful setting? Attend our three day course in Sacramento or San Diego, California to earn over 35 CEs and prepare for the CDE® or BC-ADM. Beverly and her teaching team translate the complex science of diabetes into understandable terms, while keeping it real, practical and fun.

Diabetes Education Services Online University Courses

With a total of over 50+ CEs offered, our online university presents a multitude of relevant courses and test taking tools for your Diabetes Education. Most courses include an On Demand webinar led by Coach Beverly, a podcast, additional resources and a post presentation test.

Our most popular online course bundle is currently the CDE® Prep Bundle – Level 1, 2, and 3. However the 1-Year Subscription to the entire Online University catalog includes Level 1, 2, 3 and 4 plus our Medication and Test Taking Toolkits.

We recommend starting with our Level 1 Diabetes Fundamentals, then progressing to Level 2, which focuses on special populations, further review of insulin and medications, hospitalization and more. When you are ready to take the exam, join our Level 3 CDE® Boot Camp to receive the full spectrum of CDE® preparation.

Hit the books

Our most popular book bundle is the AADE Art & Science Desk Reference and Review Guide. Many students find success pairing their online courses with an additional text reference.

For independent study time, these books provide the tools and comprehensive resources that help you focus your study time efficiently and effectively. Purchase the 800+ page Art and Science Reference Book and Review Guide for an additional boost in knowledge! Focus on those areas you have identified during your self assessment.

Art & Science Desk Reference, 4th Ed.

Coach Beverly Study Tip: A student said that one of the things that helped her most with the exam, was reading through the Case Studies in the Art and Science Book. These case studies are easily identifiable in colored boxes in each of the chapters.

Published by AADE, the Art & Science Desk Reference 4th Edition is the must-have resource for all diabetes educators.

This Desk Reference is written by practicing Diabetes Educators for Diabetes Educators and provides the core knowledge and essential strategies and skills all educators need to facilitate behavior change in persons with diabetes. Boost your knowledge and keep current with all of the critical changes in the healthcare landscape.

STEP FIVE

An important part of being a successful Diabetes Educator is gaining a thorough understanding of diabetes medications and insulin therapy.

Coach Beverly Study tip: on the exam, they list the generic and trade names for the medications. Make sure you know what class the medication belongs to, precautions, side effects and important patient teaching points.

A helpful strategy is to be very familiar with the content outlined in our Medication and Insulin PocketCards.

Diabetes Medication Knowledge

Diabetes Medication and Insulin PocketCards

You can now purchase all four of our medication PocketCards in a new laminated accordion style format or download for free now. The perfect study partner!

We also offer many online courses that review the critical content for medications that will help increase your confidence and knowledge for the exam and your clinical setting.

Anti-hypertensive, Cholesterol and Neuropathy Medications

The exam also includes questions about common medications to treat hypertension and lipids. Make sure to have a general knowledge of the main classes, side effects precautions and patient education content. Here are the best resources to build your medication knowledge:

Print these “cheat sheets” as part of your studies, plus they are great resources to have available in your practices setting.

This Meds Update Toolkit includes two On Demand courses designed to keep you abreast of the rapidly changing world of Diabetes Pharmacology in the Outpatient and Inpatient Setting. If you want cutting edge information on the latest pharmacology and hospital glucose management, we highly recommend this toolkit.

Meds Update – New ADA and EASD Guidelines – Earn 1.5 CE

This course is included in: Medication Update Toolkit. Purchase this course individually for $29 or the entire bundle and save 50%.

Are you wondering how to apply the newly released 2019 American Diabetes Association (ADA) and European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Management of Hyperglycemia Guidelines into practice?

Join Beverly to gain insight into the increasingly complex world of diabetes medications and management. This webinar will discuss how to integrate these new medication recommendations into our practice. We will discuss the benefits, considerations and critical information to share with our patients and providers.

STEP SEVEN

When entering the field of Diabetes Education, it is important to be familiar with the philosophy behind how-to approach diabetes self-management education. Read the following two articles to gain insights into the philosophical underpinnings included in the CDE® Exam.

Understand the Philosophy

Empowerment vs. Compliance Model Chart

This chart provides a quick and direct summary and contrast of these competing philosophies. The exam philosophy is patient-centered with a focus on empowerment. Review this chart to become familiar with the empowerment approach.

This review article published in Diabetes Care review the power of language on perceptions and diabetes behaviors. This document reviews effective strategies to communicate about diabetes through our written and spoken language.

A must read for anyone entering the field of Diabetes or as a reference for those already in the field. These 7 Self-Care Behaviors™ provide a framework for patient centered diabetes self-management education and training (DSME/T) and care.

STEP EIGHT

After meeting the discipline requirement, applicants must complete a minimum of 15 clock hours of continuing education activities applicable to diabetes within the two years of applying for certification. Since all of our programs are accredited by the CDR, our online and live courses fulfill the CE requirements.

Complete the CE Requirement

Join a Live Seminar

Want a live summary of the key content in a beautiful setting? Attend our three day course in Sacramento or San Diego, California. Beverly and her teaching team translate the complex science of diabetes into understandable terms, while keeping it real, practical and fun. You can earn a total of 35+ CEs while preparing for the CDE® or BC-ADM.

Diabetes Education Services Online University Courses

With a total of over 50+ CEs offered, our online university presents a multitude of relevant courses and test taking tools for your Diabetes Education. Most courses include an On Demand webinar led by Coach Beverly, a podcast, additional resources and a post presentation test.

Our most popular online course bundle is currently the CDE® Prep Bundle – Level 1, 2, and 3. However the 1-Year Subscription to the entire Online University catalog includes Level 1, 2, 3 and 4 plus our Medication and Test Taking Toolkits.

We recommend starting with our Level 1 Diabetes Fundamentals, then progressing to Level 2, which focuses on special populations, further review of insulin and medications, hospitalization and more. When you are ready to take the exam, join our Level 3 CDE® Boot Camp to receive the full spectrum of CDE® preparation.

STEP NINE

Set yourself up for success. Arrive early and get a good night’s sleep. Eat a healthy breakfast. Visualize yourself feeling confident and prepared. Join Coach Beverly’s Test Taking Coach Session for extra tips and recommendations.

Test Taking Day!

Eliminate false answers and choose the BEST answer. Don’t get lured in by overly complex answers, look at each answer as either true or false.

Focus on NATIONAL standards– leave your clinical goals behind.

Don’t read into the question or answers – sift through vignettes to find relevant information. Choose the best answer based on the information provided in the vignette.

Stay centered– move, stand and breathe during the exam.

STEP TEN

Celebrate

Celebrate!

Please share your success stories with us! You can email anne@diabetesed.net to share your story today!

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Diabetes Education Services offers education and training to diabetes educators in the areas of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes for the novice to the established professional. Whether you are training to be a Certified Diabetes Educator® (CDE®), practicing at an advanced level and interested in board certification, or a health care professional and/or Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE®) who needs continuing education hours to renew your license or CDE®, we have diabetes education information, resources and training; learning and teaching tools; and diabetes online courses available for continuing education (CE). Read our disclaimer for full disclosure.

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